Potential new variants for turbocharged hot hatch spotted near the Nurburgring

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Disguised versions of the Honda Civic Type R have been captured by our spy photography agency on roads near the Nurburgring in Germany.

Given the latest Civic Type R only went on sale globally in 2017, it might be a little too early for mid-life facelift. Taking that into account, it's likely these prototypes are for new Civic Type R variants.

That said, the tenth-generation Civic sedan went on sale in the US in 2015, and should be due for a date with the plastic surgeon soon.

"We’re hoping that by gradually putting out more [Civic Type R variants] that we’ll be able to maintain a more stable sales volume," Hideki Matsumoto, chief engineer of the Civic range, told Automotive News back in 2017.

Although Matsumoto noted the first priority was for a more hardcore model, he also stated the company was considering a version "focused more on the grand touring aspect" to help broaden the Type R's appeal.

The white prototype features camouflage for both the front and rear fascias, where the most obvious changes are the flicks added to the side "vents" at both ends.

As for the red prototype, only its front bumper is disguised, although there's a new, much smaller, wing fitted to the rear hatch.

It's possible the white vehicle previews the more hardcore variant Matsumoto hinted at, while the red car shows the way to a less manic and more relaxed GT model.

It's unknown whether these vehicles improve on the standard Civic Type R's drivetrain, which features a 235kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine at its core.

Mated exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission, the hot Civic is currently capable of a 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds.